DUBLIN — Construction crews will break ground next month on a long-awaited, $33 million boardwalk-style waterpark and entertainment complex, complete with six water slides, three pools, a water playground for kids and a 2,000-seat outdoor performing arts center — a massive attraction expected to draw visitors from all over the Bay Area seeking relief from the summer heat.

Once completed in early 2017, the 32,000-square-foot facility will house one of the East Bay”s largest indoor recreational pools, an outdoor competitive pool and a water slide tower with two high-velocity drop slides, a giant circular bowl slide and four traditional looping “flume” slides. The 4,500-square-foot, surf-themed water playground will have spray fountains, a pool and a small slide for younger children, plus a large bucket dropping hundreds of gallons of water from above every five minutes.

“This is probably the biggest, the most comprehensive, most complex project the city has ever undertaken since its inception,” said Dublin Councilman Kevin Hart. “This is an exciting day.”

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved $33.1 million for construction of the Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic Complex, which is slated to begin March 6. The complex will be located in Emerald Glen Park, just east of the I-680-580 interchange off Tassajara Road.

Years in the making and postponed due to the economic downturn, the project comes in about $5 million over its original budget, due to the rising costs of construction. The difference will be covered with $3 million from public facility fees and $2 million as a general fund loan. The bulk of the money is coming from the city”s Capital Improvement Program, financed by a number of developer, park user and traffic fees, as well as gas and sales taxes.

“This project is a long time coming, and it”s unfortunate now that fiscally we”re in a position to move forward, the price has risen,” said Councilman Abe Gupta. “(However), fiscally, we have the resources to absorb the increase, as significant as it might be.”

The city will operate the park but is still determining ticket pricing and projected revenue. The city does not know yet if the complex will be self-supporting in the long term, but it likely will need support from the city the first year, city spokeswoman Lori Taylor said.

Other Bay Area water parks with water slides include Raging Waters in San Jose, the Silliman Activity and Family Aquatic Center in Newark, Antioch Waterpark and Waterworld California in Concord.

For Tri-Valley residents, the Emerald Glen complex will offset the loss of water slides at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton, which closed in 2011 and were dismantled in 2013. The Robert Livermore Community Center in Livermore and Pleasanton also have small water slides for children.

Dublin”s indoor pool would be used for lap swimming, fitness classes and swim lessons and would include a spectator area and locker rooms. The outdoor pool, outfitted with timers and scoreboards, is designed for use by swim teams and water polo players, as well as recreational swimmers.

Besides the water features, the project involves construction of picnic areas, cabanas, food concession stands and 6 acres of park improvements, including a public plaza for community events and farmers markets.

During construction, the entrance to Emerald Glen Park from Central Parkway and Glynnis Rose will be closed off.

City officials said they expect the complex to be a regional draw, bringing visitors to Dublin from all over the Bay Area. Hart compared the project to “building a Cadillac.”

“Having lived in the city since I was 10, this is a dream; this is a vision that I know a lot of residents have,” Hart said. “As we continue to grow as a city and as a community, this will be a critical piece of the foundation and a regional draw that the residents of the community, and certainly the Bay Area, will be able to enjoy for a long time.”

The total budgeted cost is $36.4 million — with $33.1 million going to contractor C. Overaa & Company Construction, plus a 10 percent contingency for overruns. The council also agreed to spending another $225,000 for an optional public address system and firepits, which could be covered by the contingency.